On this article we’ll present you easy methods to Set Up and Use File Historical past on Home windows 11. In Home windows 11, “File Historical past” is an outdated function that lets you create a file backup on an exterior drive or community drive to have the power to revive recordsdata in case of unintentional deletion, modification or corruption.

File Historical past backs up your recordsdata within the Paperwork, Footage, Movies, Music, and Desktop folders, together with OneDrive recordsdata which are saved regionally on the gadget by default. Nevertheless, in Home windows 11, it’s now not attainable to incorporate extra folders within the backup. Under now we have talked about the steps to Set Up and Use File Historical past on Home windows 11.

Set Up and Use File Historical past on Home windows 11

To arrange the file historical past backup in your system, repeat the next steps:

Step 1: Press Win + R to launch the Run command field. Kind FileHistory within the textual content enter space and press the enter key.

Step 2: File Historical past’s management panel web page will launch. Since you might be organising the function for the primary time, it is going to be inactive by default.

Step 3: Join an exterior USB storage gadget (Pen Drive or Exterior Exhausting Drive) to your system.

Step 4: Now, click on on the Flip On button to allow File Historical past in your Home windows 11 system.

Step 5: File Historical past will start copying recordsdata to the exterior storage drive from these places – Libraries, Desktop, Contact, and Favorites.

Step 6: If you wish to create a backup once more, click on on the Run Now choice.

File Historical past is about up and operating in your system. It backs up all recordsdata saved within the Libraries, Desktop, Contacts and Favorites folders. As well as, File Historical past additionally backs up the Downloads, Saved Video games and One Drive folders.

How one can Configure the Backup Settings in File Historical past

The file historical past is now prepared to make use of, however you continue to must make some adjustments. Right here’s how.

Step 1: Press Win + R to launch the Run command field. Kind FileHistory within the textual content enter space and press the enter key.

Step 2: Now, navigate to the left-hand aspect part and click on on the Superior Settings choice.

Step 3: You possibly can change the backup frequency and protect recordsdata for so long as you need. Transfer over to the Save copies of recordsdata choice. It is going to be set to Each hour by default. Click on on the drop-down record to disclose extra choices.

Step 4: Choose the time period choice match in your backup necessities.

Step 5: Then transfer to the Maintain saved variations choice. It preserves the backups saved on the exterior drive for so long as you need. It’s set to Endlessly by default. Don’t change it.

Step 6: If you wish to delete older backup variations of recordsdata and folders, click on on the Clear up variations choice. It’s going to delete all of the outdated variations besides the newest backup copy.

Step 7: Now, click on on the Save adjustments button to avoid wasting your new settings.

How one can Choose a Drive for File Historical past

When you assign a storage drive to the file historical past, it turns into its default storage. Nevertheless, if you wish to add a bigger storage drive to the file historical past, you are able to do that as effectively. Keep in mind that you should utilize just one drive to retailer the contents of the file historical past.

Step 1: Press Win + R to launch the Run command field. Kind FileHistory within the textual content enter space and press the enter key.

Step 2: File Historical past’s management panel web page will launch. Click on on the Choose Drive choice positioned within the left-hand aspect part.

Step 3: All of the out there storage drives will present up within the record. Click on on the USB storage gadget you need to use for File Historical past.

Step 4: File Historical past will ask you whether or not you need to transfer outdated recordsdata to the brand new drive. Click on on the Sure button to proceed.

Step 5: Then, click on on the OK button to avoid wasting your adjustments.

How one can Add Folders to File Historical past

The default choice of folders backed up by File Historical past is just not ample for each person. So you might want to manually add one other folder if you would like File Historical past to again it up. Right here’s easy methods to add a folder to File Historical past in Home windows 11:

Step 1: Open File Explorer on Home windows PC. Now, navigate to the folder location you need to add to File Historical past. We now have created a folder named ‘Take a look at’ for demonstration functions.

Step 2: Proper-click on the folder and choose extra choices from the context menu. Then, click on on the Embrace in Library choice.

Step 3: Choose anyone folder from the record of accessible choices. We picked the Paperwork folder.

Step 4: File explorer will add the Take a look at folder to the Paperwork folder within the libraries. Click on on the Doc folder positioned beneath Libraries within the Navigation pane to confirm it.

Step 5: Now, go to the File Historical past function within the management panel and click on on the Run Now choice to create a brand new backup.

Step 6: Browse the USB drive in file explorer and entry the Information folder. The folder you added to the Libraries will seem right here.

Step 7: Now, File Historical past will embrace the contents of the brand new folder you added to it.

How one can Exclude Folders From File Historical past

It’s possible you’ll not need to again up all of the folders with the file historical past. Bigger folders equivalent to non permanent downloads and movies can rapidly refill space for storing once you use a USB drive. Due to this fact, it’s best to take away the folders which are unimportant from a backup perspective.

Right here’s easy methods to take away a folder from File Historical past:

Step 1: Open Management Panel and navigate to the File Historical past function. Then, click on on the Exclude Folders choice.

Step 2: Click on on the Add button so as to add a folder to the exclusion record.

Step 3: Browse the File Explorer and click on on the Choose Folder button so as to add it to the record.

Step 4: Then, click on on the Save Modifications button to avoid wasting your settings.

Step 5: Shut the app window. File Historical past will exclude the folder when it creates the following backup.

Closing Phrases

We hope you want this text on How one can Set Up and Use File Historical past on Home windows 11. Microsoft has eliminated the File Historical past choice from the Settings app in Home windows 11. So now you possibly can solely entry it from the Management Panel. But it surely’s a reasonably easy methodology that allows you to all the time create redundant backups. Additionally, you possibly can add or take away folders and alter storage units as wanted.

I hope you perceive this text, How one can Set Up and Use File Historical past on Home windows 11 PC.